Use the ArcGIS Tracker mobile app to track a mobile user's location. The Tracker mobile app is optimized for tracking locations, minimizing the impact on device battery. The mobile app records tracks whether or not there is a data connection, both when the app is being used and when it is running in the background.
The tracks data is securely stored within your organization. Mobile users can only see their tracks in the app, and additional permissions are required to view the tracks of others. Mobile users control when they are and aren't tracked from within the app.
Start tracking
Start tracking in the ArcGIS Tracker mobile app to record and share your location.
- Open the mobile app and sign in using your ArcGIS account if you are not already signed in.
- Use the Track My Location toggle button to turn on tracking.
Note:
If you have an Apple Watch paired to your iOS device, you can use the watchOS companion app to start and stop location tracking. You must start location tracking at least once on your iPhone or iPad before using Tracker on your Apple Watch. See the Tracker mobile app requirements for more information.
- Allow Tracker access to your location when prompted.
- On Android, tap Allow or Allow only while using the app.
- On iOS, tap Always Allow or Allow While Using App.
- On iOS, tap OK when prompted to allow Tracker access to your motion and fitness activity, and tap Allow when prompted to allow Tracker to send you notifications.
Caution:
If you don't allow Tracker access to your motion and fitness activity, it can't record your location. If you don't allow Tracker to send you notifications, reminders won't be enabled.
Your location appears on the map. If you included an image with your account profile, the image is used to mark your location.
Define when you should be tracked
You may not want Tracker to always record your location. If you are on iOS, you can configure the app to send you reminders to start tracking when your day begins and stop it when your shift is complete. On Android, you can define a schedule when tracking will automatically start and stop.
- Tap Profile (
on Android or 
on iOS). - Use the Schedule (Android) or Reminders (iOS) toggle button to define when you want to be tracked.
Note:
If you don't allow Tracker to send you notifications, reminders won't be displayed.
- Specify the schedule when you want to be tracked (Android) or when you want to be reminded to start and stop tracking (iOS).
Android automatically starts and stops tracking for you, and iOS sends reminders for you to start and stop tracking at the specified times.
View tracks
Mobile users can view their tracks in Tracker as well as in other apps that support viewing the tracks, such as ArcGIS Collector, ArcGIS Explorer, and ArcGIS Workforce.
Note:
The versions of Collector, Explorer, and Workforce that support viewing tracks weren't released when Tracker released. View the help for each app to determine its support and if there is a release available that displays tracks.
Tracker keeps tracks on your device. If you have a data connection, up to 72 hours of tracks are kept on the device. Without a data connection, tracks are kept until the connection is available and the tracks can be uploaded. You may not want to see all the tracks. Choose the time frame when you want to see tracks from the Tracks to Display options. On Android, they are in a menu next to the profile button. On iOS, they are below the Track My Location toggle button. The time frame you select applies to viewing tracks in Tracker as well as in other mobile apps on the same device.
While viewing tracks in Tracker, tap the track to view information at that point. Depending on the information your device provided to Tracker, you may see the date and time the track was collected, the type of activity you were doing and your speed of travel when it was collected, and the accuracy and coordinates of the location. The coordinate units can be configured in your profile.
By default, the quality of the tracks you see is controlled through smart rendering. This restricts your track lines to high-quality track points, including track points that meet at least one of the following requirements:
- The horizontal accuracy of the point is less than 10 meters.
- The horizontal accuracy of the point is between 10 and 25 meters, and either the speed is greater than 0 meters per second or the course is greater than 0 degrees.
- The speed is greater than 0 meters per second and the course is greater than 0 degrees.
Although all track points are recorded and uploaded, those of lower quality are not used to generate the track lines. You can disable Smart Rendering in your profile if you want all track points included in the track lines.
Upload tracks
Tracks are uploaded regularly when you have a network connection. While your device is plugged in and either charged or charging with at least 20 percent of the battery available, tracks are uploaded every 60 seconds. Otherwise, they're uploaded every 10 minutes. This is done automatically: you don't need to initiate the upload. To upload immediately, use the Upload Now button in your profile.
Your last known location is updated every 60 seconds by default (independent of your device charging and battery state). You can configure it to be every 30 seconds in your profile.
Location track security
While tracks are collected using the Tracker mobile app, they are stored in an SQLite database on the mobile device. Each tracked location is created by the user signed in to the app, and editor tracking stores this information with the tracked location. When a user signs out of the Tracker mobile app, the SQLite database is removed. Other users who use the app on the device don't have access to the tracks of previous users.